As the title says...before the rebuild my car started everyday, even in the coldest Wisconsin weather...pull the choke, pump the gas and crank the engine...two or three revolution...shes running smooth with the choke pulled out...actually ran great as long as the choke was out (no off idle stumble). Once it was warmed up it ran great (with the exception of the off idle stumble), all the way up to redline.
Since the rebuild, the car is a bear to start...#1 the choke won't stay pulled out. Also pulling the choke only makes it harder to start...the car will actually catch if I pump the gas once, take my foot completely off the gas then crank...trouble is, it takes 7-8 tries before it can handle the tiniest bit of throttle...once it gets running...it runs great...but this hell on my starter...and ideas?

 

Sounds like adjustment time. Since ya know the choke isnt working properly, lets start there. The choke holdout is electronic and is controlled under the dash, so unless you pulled the choke mechanism or unplugged it (under dash) I dont know of anything on the carb end that you can do to effect the pull back. Might take a look under the dash and be sure the choke is still plugged in and didnt somehow come disconnected. Next, what you need to check is that when you pull the choke you are actually moving the choke butterfly. Easiest way is take air cleaner off, open drivers door, get where you can see the choke butterfly and pull the ****, you should see the butterfly close in the carb bore. If you dont, track back and make sure that your cable is connected to the linkage and that the cable itself is intact and will push/pull as you move the ****. There is an adjustment on the cable sleeve that will allow you to adjust the cable so it pushes and pulls the proper amount without too mucvh slack. Note...if the cable itself isnt pushing/pulling out of the sleeve, your cable itself is toast and you need a new choke cable/underdash housing, which might also fix the pullback issue. Fort now, i would concentrate on the choke side to see if that is the issue causing the hard start. Get the choke fixed, then if the problem continues move on to idle speed adjustment and fuel mixture. Worst case, if you get the butterfly working, for a temporary choke holdout you can slide a quarter behind the **** to hold it out manually until warm...

 

Your idle is too rich (it's already 'choked' by excess fuel without pulling the choke), and your #1 water temperature switch (on the back of the water pump) is bad or not connected - - possibly the wires broke when you were working on the carb.

I predict.

 

That would make sense too....the choke mechanism would not stayout because it isnt getting power to stay out because of no signal, and the choke in a too rich condition would do nothing further.....still wouldnt hurt to check the butterfly operation just to be sure you got the choke cable hooked up correctly.